Cable anchor



May 12, 1936.

F. P. SHEARVVQOD CABLE ANCHOR Filed Nov. 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 um.. mun

n t End; CH W. F. Kuh w 6 M3? i g a u ATTORNEY May 12, -93- V F. P. SHEARWOOD Z Y CABLE ANCHOR Filed Nov. 1, 1955 2 Shecs-Sheet 2 IN ENTOR F- R SHEARWOOD ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1936 ilNiTE STATS PATENT O'FFIQE CABLE ANCHOR Frederick P. Shearwocd,

assignor to Dominion Bridge Oom- Canada,

Montreal, Quebec,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to cable anchors and comprises an'improved anchorage construction especially adapted for large multiple strand cables such as those employed in the-construction of suspension bridges.

According to this invention bearing members, applied to the individual strands of the cable, are fitted between anchor plates having their opposing surfaces shaped to provide ledges or abutments to which the pull on the cable is transmitted either by direct engagement of the bearing members with the abutments or through the medium of suitable shims interposed between the bearing members and the abutments for the purpose of equalizing the strain on the various strands.

The principal advantages of this type of anchorage are (1) that definite and uniform distribution of the load on each strand on the anchor plates is assured by direct engagement of the strand bearing plates with the anchor plates (2) greater economy and accuracy in production due to the fact that the abutments are formed as integral parts of the anchor plates during manufacture thereof, and (3) the assembly of the strands with the anchor plates is made easy and safe since each strand, when placed in position, is completely anchored to the anchor plates independently of parts anchoring adjacent strands to the anchor plates.

Proceeding now to a more detailed description of this invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken away, of a multiple strand cable anchorage assembly pro-- vided in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the assembly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a slight modification.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation looking towards the lower end of the assembly appearing in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a slight modification in which the anchor plates are provided with curved abutments for the bearing members. In Fig. 5 the cables and bearing members have been omitted for the sake of clearness.

Figs. 6 and '7 are views illustrating the manner in which the bearing members and shims are curved to conform to the curved abutments of the anchor plates shown in Fig. 6.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 5 designates the individual strands of a multiple strand cable, 6 the bearing members into which the free ends of the cable strands are socketed in the usual manner, and 1 the anchor plates between which the bearing members are fitted. According to the present invention, the anchor plates are grooved or otherwise shaped to provide integral abutments 3 which, in the assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are engaged by supplementary bearing members 9 arranged on the cable strands 5 adjacent to the inner ends of the bearing members 5. Wherever it is necessary shims ii are interposed between the associated bearing members 6 and 9 to equalize the strain on the various strands. It will also be noted that the cable receiving openings E2 of the supplementary bearing members 9 are preferably made to flare outwardly towards the splay point of the cable and are of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the cable strands. The anchor plates 1 are held tightly against the bearing members 9 by the rods I 5 which pass through the anchor plates close to these bearing plates, thereby ensuring full bearing of the bearing members on the grooves or ledges of the anchor plates. No particular means has been shown for anchoring the plates 7 against the pull of the cable strands 5 since this may obviously be accomplished in various ways well known to the art and forms no part of the present invention.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a slightly modified construction in which the supplementary bearing members 9 are omitted so that the shims l0 bear directly against the abutments 8. In this case the bearing members 6 are preferably provided with extensions ll so that the strand receiving openings Ha, may be made to flare outwardly towards the splay point of the cable, as clearly shown in the drawings.

The construction shown in Fig. 6 is the same as that shown in Fig. 2 except that the abutment surfaces 8 and the engaging surfaces of the supplementary bearing members 9 are curved on a suitable radius.

The construction shown in Fig. 7 is the same as that shown in Fig. 3 except that the abutment 8 together with the shims I0 and the shim en gaging surfaces of the bearing members 6 are also curved on a suitable radius.

As illustrated in the present drawings the abutments 8 are produced by grooving the opposing surfaces of the anchor plates and these grooves may be relatively narrow as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, or relatively wide as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. These grooves may be formed in the plates during manufacture of the plates by casting,

forging or other suitable operation or may be formed subsequently by a separate grooving operation. It will also be understood that grooving of the plates to form the abutments 8 is not absolutely necessary since the same result may be obtained in various Ways such, for example, by using plates of T-section arranged so that the lateral extension constituting the head of each T-section forms the integral abutments for the cable strand bearing plates. The present disclosure is, therefore, considered as contemplating any method of producing the anchor plates to provide integral laterally projecting surfaces or abutments located as indicated at 8 in the present drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. For use in a cable anchorage of the character described, an anchor plate shaped to pro vide integral abutment formations at opposite sides thereof, said abutment formations presenting rearwardly facing surfaces located intermediate the front and rear edges of the plate.

2. An anchor plate as set forth in claim 1 in which the rearwardly facing surfaces of each plate are convexly curved on the same radius.

3. For use in a cable anchorage of the character described, an anchor plate having an integral portion of reduced thickness intermediate its front and rear edges whereby said plate is provided, at each side thereof, with a rearwardly facing abutment surface.

4. Means for anchoring the individual strands of a cable comp-rising a series of plates disposed in spaced parallel relation, a series of bearing members clamped between opposing surfaces of adjacent plates and serving to hold said plates in laterally spaced relation throughout their entire area, said plates being shaped to provide integral abutment formations disposed in front of and in direct contact with the bearing members and clamping bolts passing through the anchor plates forwardly of the bearing members for holding the parts in assembled relation.

5. Means for anchoring the individual strands of a cable comprising a series of spaced parallel anchor plates, bearing members on the cable strands fitted between the plates so that the bearing members between each pair of adjacent plates have opposite edges in direct contact with opposing side surfaces of said plates. and thus serve as spacers by means of which the several plates are maintained in laterally spaced relation throughout their entire area, clamping bolts passing through the anchor plates forwardly of the bearing members for. holding the parts: in assembled relation, said plates being provided, adjacent their forward ends, with integral abutment forming elements extending the full width thereof and presenting rearwardly facing surfaces against which the bearing members are engaged, the abutment forming elements of each plate being spaced laterally from the opposing abutment forming elements of adjacent plates to permit passage of the cables therebetween.

6. Means for anchoring the individual strands of a cable comprising a series of opposing plates maintained in laterally spaced relation by interposed bearing members attached to the cable strands, the opposing surfaces of adjacentplates being grooved to receive said bearing members so that the latter are engaged and held against forward displacement by the front walls of the grooves and means for fastening the plates together whereby the bearing members are tightly clamped therebetween.

'7. Means for anchoring individual strands of a cable as set forth in claim 6 in which the front walls of the plate grooves are convexly curved on the same radius.

8. An anchor plate for use in a cable anchorage of the character described, said plate having an integral portion of reduced thickness intermediate its front and rear edges whereby said plate is provided, at each side thereof, with transverse grooves extending across the full width of the plate, the front walls of said grooves being positioned adjacent the front edges of the plate.

9. An anchor plate as set forth in claim 8 in which the front walls of the plate grooves are convexly curved about a common center located rearwardly of said walls.

10. For use in a cable anchorage of the character described, an anchor plate shaped to provide an integral abutment formation presenting a rearwardly facing surface intermediate the front and rear edges of the plate, said surface being convexly curved on a suitable predetermined radius.

11. For use in a cable anchorage of the char acter described, an anchor plate shaped to p-ro vide an integral abutment formation presenting a rearwardly facing surface intermediate the front and rear edges of the plate, said surface extending uninterruptedly across the full width of the plate and being convexly curved on a suitable radius.

12. For use in a cable anchorage of the character described, an anchor plate shaped to provide an integral abutment formation presenting a rearwardly facing" surface extending uninterruptedly across the full width of the plate intermediate the front and rear edges of the plate,

said surface lying at right angles to the general plane of the plate and being convexly curved on a suitable radius.

FREDERICK P. SHEARWOOD. 

